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Friday, November 16, 2012

Exchange Program for Media Professionals from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and the United States

The Exchange Program for Media Professionals from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and the United States, is a four-part, two-way media program run by ICFJ and funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

This 18-month, multi-phase program is for 20 African media professionals and 20 of their U.S. peers. Five journalists will be competitively recruited from each of the four African countries- Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. In the spring and fall of 2013, two groups of African journalists will spend approximately four weeks at American media organizations for practical fellowships and related programming. They will then join other Professional Fellows for a three-day Professional Fellows Congress in Washington, DC.

The goal of this program is to provide an opportunity for journalists to study and become involved in journalism as it is practiced in each other's countries. They will examine the role that journalists play in society and the challengers they face in doing their jobs. Some key themes of the program include the introduction to the United States and its media, the dual nature of U.S. News Media, social media strategies and digital tools for African journalists, and diversity.

After each visiting group of African journalists, a group of ten American journalists will travel to the partner African countries to work with the African counterparts. ICFJ expects the U.S. participants to gain appreciation for the countries and everyday lives of their counterparts, transmit their observations to their audiences, and to cement lasting ties with their African colleagues. The four African partner organizations are:

ICFJ's partners will assist with participant recruitment, screening, selection and orientation and will coordinate all activities with the Public Affairs Sections (PAS). They will also assist ICFJ in the participants' post-travel activities, including debriefing with PAS.

Applicants will be recruited through an open competition in each country. Selection will be based on their professional qualifications, relevant experience, leadership potential and commitment to enhancing mutual understanding between the people of their country and the program partner country.

African journalists can apply here. Deadline to apply is January 15, 2013

Applications for U.S. journalists will open in 2013. The program dates are TBD.